All political lives, unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture, end in failure, because that is the nature of politics and of human affairs. So wrote Enoch Powell in 1977.

Theo Barclay’s new book details a selection of high-profile political careers that ended in resignation (a political euphemism in many cases for the sack). The title comes from Peter Mandelson’s rather petulant response at the 2001 General Election when he was returned in his Hartlepool seat five months after being forced out of the government over the Hinduja passports affair.

He said: “Before this campaign started it was said I was facing political oblivion – my career in tatters never to be part of the political living again. Well, they underestimated me because I am a fighter... and a fighter not a quitter".

Barclay begins with the Duchess of Atoll resigning from the Scottish Unionists in 1938 and finishes with Damian Green “resigning” from Theresa May’s administration over being economic with the actualité.

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In between we have Peter Mandelson (twice), Chris Huhne (whose resignation over speeding points eventually led to a prison cell), Stephen Byers and Jo Moore (remember her? The New Labour apparatchik who thought 9/11 was a good day to bury bad news), Robin Cook and Clare Short, Jeremy Thorpe, Michael Heseltine, Edwina Currie, Liam Fox and, of course, John Profumo.

Barclay falls into the usual trap of saying Profumo resigned from the Cabinet – an error repeated ad infinitum in recent obituaries of Christine Keeler, his lover – he didn't, he resigned from the Government. Profumo was never a Cabinet minister.

Helpfully in most cases, Barclay provides the resignation letter and the reply. Harold Macmillan probably did not even read Profumo's resignation letter such was the brevity of his reply. Profumo had committed the cardinal sin – not sleeping with a goodtime girl but lying to his colleagues and the House of Commons.

How times change.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

Lord Lambton resigned after being filmed with a prostitute – by her husband

In 1963 Profumo resigned. Ten years later, Lord Lambton resigned after being photographed smoking marijuana with a prostitute, Norma Levy. Following on with the ten yearly tradition, in 1983, Cecil Parkinson, one of Margaret Thatcher's favourites, resigned after getting his secretary pregnant. We waited in vain in 1993 as no Tory resigned in a sex scandal.

Indeed, are Tory scandals more interesting than any other party's or do we detect a hint of political bias? Barclay features just two Liberal resignations, six Labour but 13 Tories and one Scottish Unionist.

There is no room for Hugh Dalton, the Labour chancellor, who resigned after leaking details of the Budget. No room for Estelle Morris who resigned as education secretary after admitting that she was not up to the job. It's probably just as well that Barclay didn't feature all the resignations from Jeremy Corbyn's front bench or the book would be twice the length!